4 HVAC Issues That Require A Call To An Emergency Heating and AC Repair Service | North Richland Hills, TX
You rely on the HVAC system during the winter and the summer to keep your home cool. Winter days are relatively cold; however, at night, and when a cold front rolls in, the temperature can drop to the 30s, and your house can get dangerously cold if the furnace stops working. The temperature reaches 90 degrees or higher on most summer days. If your air conditioner fails, the temperature in your North Richland Hills, TX home can quickly reach 120 degrees, increasing the risk for heat-related conditions, such as heat exhaustion and heat stroke.
Your HVAC system is essential to your comfort, and it’s best to have HVAC problems repaired quickly. Some HVAC problems aren’t considered emergencies and can wait until you can schedule an appointment. However, some issues are more severe and require a call to an emergency heating and AC repair service. These are issues that can affect your home’s temperature or put your family’s health and safety at risk, and an emergency appointment is essential.
#1 Strange Smells
The heater and air conditioner in your North Richland Hills, TX home are designed to produce clean, odorless air. If you smell something strange in the house and can’t find the source, it likely has something to do with the HVAC system. The following odors indicate HVAC issues that can put your home and family at significant risk; therefore, it’s best to call an emergency heating and AC repair service.
- Rotten eggs: A rotten egg smell when the heater runs indicates a gas leak, which is extremely dangerous. The gas leak can cause an explosion, so you should turn the furnace off right away and get everyone out of the house. When everybody is out safely, call 911. The fire department needs to cut the gas to your home and open the windows to air out the house so it’s safe to go inside. When the fire department is sure it is safe to go back inside, you’ll need to call an emergency heating and AC repair service so that the gas can be restored.
The emergency heating and AC repair service will send a tech to your home to fix the leak and let the fire department know that the furnace is fixed and the gas can be restored. - Mold: A moldy smell when the heater or air conditioner runs indicates a problem that can put your family’s health at risk, and you should call an emergency heating and AC repair service.
If you smell mold when the heat and air conditioner run, there’s likely mold in the air ducts. The air ducts in your North Richland Hills, TX home are hidden behind walls, under floors, or above the ceiling and are dark. When it gets humid in the house, condensation will accumulate in the air ducts, creating the perfect environment for mold growth.
Mold spores will circulate in the air when the HVAC system runs, which is a significant health risk. According to the CDC, mold exposure causes the following symptoms.- Allergy symptoms
- Chronic headaches
- Burning eyes, nose, and throat
- Skin rashes
- Respiratory issues
- Weakened immune system
- Worsens chronic lung or respiratory conditions and symptoms.
- An emergency heating and AC repair service can send a tech to inspect the ducts for mold. An antimicrobial fogger will eradicate the mold and prevent future mold growth. The tech will also recommend having the ducts professionally cleaned every three to five years to prevent mold growth going forward.
If you only smell mold when the air conditioner runs, the mold is likely in the air conditioner. If the tech cannot eliminate every trace of mold, your family will continue breathing mold spores, and the unit will need to be replaced. - If you smell something burning in your home that doesn’t subside when you turn off the HVAC system, you have an electrical problem somewhere in the house, and you’ll need to hire an electrician. Call an emergency heating and AC repair service right away if the smell does subside when turning off the unit.
The smell indicates a wiring issue, and you’re smelling the rubber around the wires burning. Ignoring the smell can result in an electrical fire, so hiring an HVAC tech right away is best.
Nasty smells indicate serious, life-threatening problems, and it’s best to call an emergency heating and AC repair service immediately.
#2 Restricted Airflow
When your HVAC system runs, you should feel a powerful rush of cold or warm air. If there’s minimal airflow coming from the vents in your North Richland Hills, TX home, you’ll need to call an emergency heating and AC repair service. This is considered an emergency because the possible causes can affect your family’s health and your bank account.
Without proper airflow, the air conditioner will work harder to keep your home at the desired temperature, and your energy bills will increase considerably. The extra work will also strain the unit, reducing its maximum lifespan. If you don’t have $5,000 to $10,000 to replace the unit sooner than necessary, you should call an HVAC tech right away.
A few problems can restrict the airflow, and you’ll need a professional to pinpoint the cause and resolve the issue.
- Clogged air ducts: This is the most common cause of poor airflow. Over time, dirt, dust, and other debris can accumulate in the air ducts, restricting the airflow. When you run the heater or air conditioner, the debris in the ducts will circulate in the air, putting your family at risk for allergy symptoms and respiratory issues.
An emergency heating and AC repair service can send a tech to clean the debris from the ducts, and they’ll recommend having the ducts cleaned every three to five years to ensure they’re clean and won’t restrict the airflow. - Damaged air ducts: You won’t see damaged air ducts because they’re hidden. The ducts deliver the cool or warm air from the HVAC system to the vents throughout your house. If there’s a crack or break in the ducts or the seal is old and failing, the treated air will leak out before reaching the vents, causing poor airflow.
An emergency heating and AC repair company can send a tech to your North Richland Hills, TX home to inspect the ducts to find the damaged area. When the ducts are repaired and resealed, the airflow will be restored. Having the ducts professionally cleaned regularly will allow the tech to detect duct damage before it affects your home’s temperature. - Broken blower: Your HVAC system has blowers designed to force the warm or cold air from the unit to the vents. If the blowers aren’t working, the air won’t be moved, and you’ll feel minimal airflow from the vents.
An HVAC tech can inspect the blower to determine if it can be repaired or if replacing it is the best option, and the airflow will be restored.
Restricted airflow can cause numerous issues in your home, so it’s best to call an emergency heating and AC service ASAP.
#3 The Furnace Isn’t Heating Your Home
If your furnace isn’t keeping your North Richland Hills, TX home warm, you should call an emergency heating and AC repair service right away. When it gets very cold at night, it will be impossible to stay warm. Before you make the call, you should check a few things on your end. Incorrect thermostat settings are a common cause. Ensure the unit is set to the heating mode and the fan is set to auto. If the fan is on, it will keep running between cycles, producing cold air, and your home will get much colder. Also, it has to be cooler in the house than the set temperature for the furnace to produce warm air. Next, check the air filter. If it’s been a while since you changed the filter last, the dirt and grime can affect the airflow in the unit, causing it to overheat and shut down. If the thermostat is set correctly and the filter is clean, it’s time to call an emergency heating and AC repair service. A few issues can prevent the unit from producing warm air, and you’ll need a professional to find the problem.
- The pilot light: Your furnace has a pilot light that has to stay lit to ignite the burner. If the pilot light is out, you can try to light it yourself, but if you don’t feel safe, an HVAC tech can help. If the pilot doesn’t stay lit, a tech can figure out why so they can fix it, preventing the problem from happening again.
- Dirty flame detector: If you have a newer furnace, it has a flame detector. This is a sensor that can detect and respond to the presence of a flame. If the flame detector is covered with dirt and grime, it will prevent the furnace from completing a heating cycle.
An emergency heating and AC repair service can determine if the flame detector is the problem and clean it off, allowing the furnace to work correctly. - A problem with the fuel source: Your furnace needs fuel to function, and if there’s an issue with the fuel source, you’ll need to call an emergency heating and AC repair company after ensuring there’s an adequate amount of fuel in the tank. There could be a clog in the hose that should be cleared by a professional.
- Clogged condensate line: Newer furnaces have condensate lines to remove moisture from the unit. The burners will deactivate if the condensate line is blocked, causing the furnace to blow cold air.
An emergency heating and AC service will send a tech to unclog the line, restoring the airflow.
Because you rely so much on your furnace during the winter, it’s best to have the problem repaired immediately.
#4 The Air Conditioner Isn’t Keeping Your Home Cool
If you feel warm air coming from the vents in your North Richland Hills, TX home, check the thermostat settings. It has to be set to the cooling mode, and the fan needs to be set to auto.
Next, check the air filter. If it’s been a while since the filter was replaced, it can become clogged with dirt and debris, and the air won’t move through the unit, causing it to overheat. If the thermostat is set right and the filter is clean, it’s time to call an emergency heating and AC repair service.
A few issues can cause the unit to produce warm air, and you’ll need a professional to troubleshoot the problem.
- Frozen evaporator coils: The unit’s evaporator coils extract heat and humidity from your home to start the cooling process. If the coils are frozen, they can’t do their job. A few issues can cause the coils to freeze, including:
- Refrigerant leaks
- Broken blower
- Damaged ductwork
- Refrigerant leak
- Clogged drainpipe
- You ran the AC when it was too cold outside.
An emergency heating and AC repair service can send a tech to thaw the coils. They will also figure out what caused them to freeze so they can fix the problem, so this doesn’t happen again.
- Refrigerant leaks: Your AC needs refrigerant to produce cold air. If acid starts decaying the metal, it will cause tiny holes, allowing the refrigerant to leak.
An emergency heating and AC repair service will send a tech to your home to repair the leak and refill the refrigerant. If your unit was installed before 2010, it uses R-22 refrigerant, which has been banned, and you’ll need to replace the unit with a newer model that doesn’t use R-22. - Broken compressor: The indoor unit and the outdoor compressor work together to produce cold air. If the compressor doesn’t work, an emergency heating and AC repair service can send a tech to fix it, restoring the cold air.
Why Choose One Hour Air Conditioning & Heating Of Fort Worth?
If you need help from an emergency heating and AC repair service, call One Hour Air Conditioning & Heating of Fort Worth. We are a full-service HVAC company serving customers in the area since 1988, and our techs are highly trained and skilled and can handle any HVAC job you have.
To schedule an appointment with our emergency heating and AC repair service, give us a call today.